Tag: Rural education in maharashtra

Coronavirus Pandemic has made world come to a standstill. Even though it has been 3 months of lockdown, there is not complete recovery or change of situation.

Every industry including education sector has stopped working. Considering that there is no immediate vaccine or treatment in near future, the option we are left with is to face the situation together and find creative and effective solutions.

Usually in India the school reopens in June every year after summer holidays. However, considering this Coronavirus pandemic, restarting schools will aggravate the situation. But, on the other hand, keeping schools closed and children locked at home is also not a solution. Already the disruption of examinations and schools has affected children’s interest and slowed down the academics.

To find a balanced solution to this problem of loss of education of children, Thinksharp Foundation conducted a survey in 50 (Zilla Parished Schools) rural Government schools in Maharashtra.

We noted that these schools are trying their best to conduct school syllabus and avoid loss of interest of children via online method. They use online methods such as WhatsApp, zoom sessions etc. However, they are able to reach only 20% to 25% children due to various reasons. Few of the common reasons are parents do not have smart phones, or even if they have, the phones are not available when the online classes are conducted, network non availability, poor connection, electricity cut so phones are not charged etc. Hence only online classes cannot be the effective solution in rural schools.

We then discussed this problem and reached out for solutions to teachers, educationists, parents and other community members. Few solutions suggested are listed below:

Govt should continue to broadcast syllabus on television. This will ensure that maximum children can have access and continue their academic syllabus study.

Teachers should reach out to parents and share creative ideas of teaching academics at home.

We should educate children on continuation of education in such situations of epidemics and pandemics.

We as a community should come together, teachers reaching out to volunteers, parents and students coming together.

While we present few findings of survey on how corona affected education and share solutions, we still welcome comments regarding more solutions.

Today, we all are fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic, it has costed us human lives, caused economic loss, loss of our freedom, motivation and much more. While every sector/industry is facing losses and challenges due to COVID-19, I am going to discuss about challenges and loss in educational sector especially rural education in this blog. And also open up a dialogue on how to address this challenges.

Currently, due to COVID-19, exams are postponed, schools, colleges, universities are closed. In the beginning they were closed without further notice but it was assumed it will be for short period of time. However, looking at the bleak future, where we do not know when will we get cure or vaccine, everybody has started finding solutions in terms continuing classes via digital medium i.e webinars/video conferencing etc.

One key factor to understand here is the above digital medium is being used by private,international and urban education institutes. But the rural schools, specifically govt rural schools are lagging way behind.

We already know rural govt schools lag behind in infrastructure e.g. but not limited to lack of digital infrastructure (computers, projectors etc) poor teacher student ratio, low attendance, parents who are unaware of importance of education and lack of their efforts to help their children get educated, financially backward families, non availability of continuous electricity and so on. All this factors make it a teacher dependent education system in rural govt schools, now to replace that with digital platform due to COVID-19 is challenging. On top of it, even if we decide to implement digital/online learning , there is lack of computers, internet, personal mobiles/ devices to connect video calling, webinars etc.

Rural govt schools are currently closed due to summer holidays, ideally they should re open in June first week as per every years process. But this year due to COVID-19, there is no clarity. The situation may result in extension of lock down or even if not, we have still lost a lot of valuable time and this schools may have lost time to finish exams, curriculum, and covering that will take efforts and time.

To prepare for smooth transition of learning for rural children which got disturbed due to COVID-19, we need to push ourselves and think of solutions of making digital learning available to rural children. We have been doing just that in 50 rural schools already. However we realize we were able to provide only digital projector and few laptops. But if situation like COVID-19 persists or in future we have more such situations, we might need to provide individual devices to rural children . As this children belong to financially week families, they do not own personal devices neither have internet.

Thinksharp Foundation is going to extend their thoughts and welcomes views and support on tackling this issue under project StudyMall, StudyMall currently provides library and digital learning facilities. But we are working on extending this to have laptops, individual personal devices etc for uninterrupted learning, for serving rural population.

We want to extend our work to create a financially viable and user friendly option to provide equal digital learning tools for rural children.

We welcome educationists, parent, children, policymakers, fellow NGOs to contribute to pool of ideas and frame solutions to solve this issue . Together lets help rural govt schools and rural children learn uninterrupted during and post COVID-19 period.

Library

While the whole world is advancing and transitioning to digital, most of the rural India is still struggling to have schools and libraries.

School Library: The Focal point

What is a Library? A Library is a building or room containing collections of books, periodicals, and sometimes films and recorded music for use or borrowing by the public or the members of an institution.

In addition to providing materials, libraries also provide the services of librarians who are experts at finding and organizing information and at interpreting information needs.

Libraries often provide quiet areas for studying, and they also often offer common areas to facilitate group study and collaboration. Libraries often provide public facilities for access to their electronic resources and the Internet.

Modern Library – beyond books:

Modern libraries are increasingly being redefined as places to get unrestricted access to information in many formats and from many sources. They are extending services beyond the physical walls of a building, by providing material accessible by electronic means.

Libraries are increasingly becoming community hubs where programs are delivered and people engage in lifelong learning. As community centers, libraries are also becoming increasingly important in helping communities mobilize and organize for their rights.

RRRLF is a central autonomous organization established and fully financed by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. RRRLF is registered under the West Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961. It is the nodal agency of the Government of India to support public library services and systems and promote public library movement in the country commensurate with the objectives as embodied in its Memorandum of Association.

The supreme policy-making body of RRRLF is called the Foundation. It consists of 22 members nominated by the Government of India from amongst eminent educationists, librarians, administrators and senior officials. The Minister of the Department of Culture, Government of India or his nominee is the Chairman of RRRLF. Professor Brij Kishore Sharma is the present Chairman of RRRLF and Director General is the executive head and ex-officio Member-Secretary of the Foundation.

The Foundation works in close association and active cooperation with different State Govts. and Union Territory Administrations through a machinery called State Library Planning Committee (SLPC/SLC) set up in each State at the instance of the Foundation. To participate in Foundation’s programs, a State Government/U.T. is required to contribute a certain amount fixed by the Foundation.

Since 2005-06 the Foundation has also taken up the initiative to develop the District Youth Resource Centre (DYRC) in collaboration with Nehru Yuvak Kendra Sangathana, an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Sports & Youth Affairs.

School Library Policy says:

One period a week to be devoted to library reading.

During this time, children sit and read silently in the library. They return the books borrowed the previous week and borrow new ones.

If there is no library room, the teacher can bring out books appropriate to the age group and allow children to choose from the set.

It is important to let the child choose rather than having the teacher distribute the books.

Library books can be brought into the language class.

For class projects, children can be asked to look up a reference in the library.

Children can be asked to write about the book they have read that week during the language class.

Children can be asked to share a story they have read with the other children in class.

The school library should be kept open during vacations.

Current status of availability of School Libraries

People who are worried about their basic needs of food, clothing and shelter can’t imagine remotely using school or public libraries. Commercialization of education has now added a new dimension to the existing problems of school education.

School libraries in India, wherever they exist, face a multitude of problems ranging from inadequate space for keeping books and reading space in school buildings to less trained staff.

Non availability of regular funds for acquiring reading materials is a major problem faced by school libraries in government and semi-government sector.

These schools have only amalgamated funds and parent-teacher association fund from which only a limited number of approved books can be purchased.

Schools in the private sector do not have much of a problem with funds but availability to library is subject to priority given to it by Head of School.

The collections have not grown beyond the prescribed books in the syllabus with a few exceptions.

Even the books approved by state directorates of education neither are of good quality nor directly relevant.

The ad-hoc system of school libraries is running throughout the length and breadth of the country in the absence of any specific guidelines and standards for their sustained growth.

Depending on the students’ interest, books on gardening, farming etc can also be added so that students will be aware of backyard farming.

Various NGOs work closely on Child Education and School Libraries. Few of them are:

Akshara

The organization was founded on the belief that quality education is the undeniable right of every child and that children should not be deprived of this just because they do not have access to it or the resources to realise their dreams. — https://akshara.org.in/

Room to Read seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in low-income communities by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education. Working in collaboration with local communities, partner organizations and governments, we develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children, and support girls to complete secondary school with the relevant life skills to succeed in school and beyond. — https://www.roomtoread.org/countries/india/

Last but not the least; ThinkSharpFoundation has also extended its hand in promoting education in rural India.

ThinkSharp Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 2011 with a vision
“To bridge the Rural-Urban education divide”.

Overcoming the space issues, ThinkSharp foundation has come up a project of “StudyMall” with a new idea of “Modular Hanging Library” .

On occasion of International Yoga day observed on Friday 21 June 2019, our partner schools enthusiastically took part in Yoga Day. All of our 30 centres in rural areas, participated by conducting Yoga Session with our young students from 1st std to 10th std with their teachers.

StudyMall promotes learning by providing various educational infrastructure in rural schools. Currently we focus on providing library and digital aids e.g. projector embedded with school syllabus and an option to link it to internet.With availability of such improved tools in rural schools, it fosters positive environment to conduct additional activities such as YOGA Day.

We are very thankful to have teachers who support and carry out such activities while fully using the provided infrastructure.

YOGA is our ancient practise which is accepted by people from all over the world as a physical, mental and spiritual discipline that brings good health and relaxation.

If you want to help us in creating such positive stories and impact for our future generations and help these little “Yogi’s” to become strong force behind building our nation, Join us now.

We are happy to share two stories regarding our partner organisation. This two organisations “Lets Tute” and “DHL Express India” have added value to our StudyMall project by adding education infrastructure for rural children in thier school which is interactive content to learn maths in effective manner and computers.

One of our StudyMall project in association with partner school at Karad, Dist-Satara received interactive,easy to learn Math books from our support organisation “LetsTute” on 19 July 2018. We have received feedback from children that they are finding it easy to learn and enjoy maths. Teachers are also happy to use this content which makes teaching more easy and effective .

Additonaly,happy to share that DHL Express India, has joined us to improve quality of rural education in Gov.Schools in Maharashtra. They have donated 29 laptops (used but remodelled in working condition). This laptops are used for setting up computer labs in rural schools. This was possible becuase of our supporter organisation Samhita GoodCSR who connected us with DHL Express India. We already set up one computer lab with help of this laptops at our StudyMall in Village Antradneed, Dist Raigad on 28 June 2018 and one at Village Murumkhedwadi,District Aurangabad on 07 Aug 2018. This computer lab is helping now more than 400 rural children in becoming computer literate. Teachers are happy, and are uable to teach in interactive manner by utilising laptops.

Let’s tute (Universal Learning Aid) is an E-learning company based in Mumbai which is helping rural children in making there learning journey more enjoyable. Their goal is to make some meaningful positive impact in education segment by providing quality education content to all students who want to explore, visualize and apply their learning to real life. They explain concepts in a very detailed and logical manner and they put focus on ‘self-learning’ and not teaching. Students need not mug up anything or try to remember things but they should be able to understand it in a way that the knowledge stays with them for life.They create content for various subjects such as Mathematics, Biology, Physics etc. Their content is useful for any student from any country pursuing any board/university. Our content takes them beyond class rooms, text books, examinations and marks. You can read more about them https://letstute.com/AboutUs

DHL is world’s leading logistics company, and there CSR mission is to connect people and improve their lives and they are fulfilling it by taking up a special responsibility towards there employees, society and the environment. They are doing an amazing job and we are humbled to have chance of working with them. We really appreciate there support and commitment in helping rural children’s education by there donation of laptops.